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Srinivasa Ramanujan: The Greatest Indian Mathematician

Herman Melville

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Srinivasa Ramanujan was one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. Born in India in 1887, he made groundbreaking contributions to number theory, modular forms, and several other branches of mathematics. Despite his lack of formal education, Ramanujan's genius was evident from a young age. He developed his own unique methods of solving mathematical problems, and his discoveries astonished some of the world's leading mathematicians.

SRINIVASA RAMANUJAN: the greatest Indian mathematician

by Luca Dotti

4.5 out of 5

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Early Life and Education

Ramanujan was born on December 22, 1887, in Erode, India. His father was a clerk in a local cloth shop, and his mother was a devout Hindu. Ramanujan showed an early interest in mathematics, and he would often spend hours working on problems in his notebook. He completed his primary and secondary education in local schools, and in 1904 he enrolled at the Government Arts College in Kumbakonam. However, he was forced to drop out of college after just two years due to financial difficulties.

Mathematical Discoveries

Despite his lack of formal education, Ramanujan continued to work on mathematics on his own. In 1911, he sent a letter to the English mathematician G.H. Hardy, enclosing a sample of his work. Hardy was immediately impressed by Ramanujan's genius, and he invited him to come to Cambridge University. Ramanujan arrived in England in 1914, and he spent the next five years collaborating with Hardy and other mathematicians. During this time, he made a number of important discoveries, including the Ramanujan prime, the Hardy-Ramanujan partition formula, and the Ramanujan theta function.

Ramanujan's work has had a profound impact on mathematics. His discoveries have led to new insights into number theory, modular forms, and other areas of mathematics. He is considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time, and his legacy continues to inspire mathematicians today.

Personal Life

Ramanujan was a devout Hindu, and he often attributed his mathematical insights to divine inspiration. He was also a vegetarian, and he abstained from alcohol and smoking. Ramanujan married Janaki Ammal in 1909, and they had a son in 1912. However, Ramanujan's health was always delicate, and he died of tuberculosis in 1920 at the age of 32.

Legacy

Ramanujan's legacy lives on today through his mathematical discoveries and his writings. His notebooks, which contain over 3,000 pages of mathematical ideas, have been published in several volumes. Ramanujan's work has inspired generations of mathematicians, and he is considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. His name is synonymous with genius, and his story continues to inspire young people to pursue their dreams.

If you are interested in learning more about Srinivasa Ramanujan and his work, I recommend reading the following books: